


The Legend of Zelda: Courage of One

by mengbean



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Gen, Heartbreak, How does one tag things?, Link has a personality, Link talks, Minor Original Character(s), My own Zelda storyline kinda thing, One-Sided Attraction, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rejection, Slow Burn, also angst, i should work on this instead of my fire emblem story, just be prepared, like possible minor character death, or major, surprisingly, there might be angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-05-14
Packaged: 2019-11-05 08:48:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,632
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17915654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mengbean/pseuds/mengbean
Summary: In this land of Hyrule there breathes a prophecy. After the hero from long ago falls, his descendants shall uphold his task in protecting our ancient kingdom. The first son to be born within the lineage shall be the hero reincarnated. As the inevitable clash of thunder and lightning come to play, ye shall be dubbed the Hero of Time, and shall serve his purpose of defeating the evil that will surely pass through this land.Where the hero stands, we all put our faith.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> When Link awakens on the day before his birthday, panic strikes. The storm clouds are drawing in and Ganon is poised to devour the land of Hyrule in evil once again. Will the Hero of Time awaken? Or will Hyrule forever be shrouded in darkness?

As the cries of a newborn babe echoed through the village, people gathered around the large guarded house. Inside was none other than the current descendant of the ancient hero, holding his newborn son with care.  
“Is it a boy?”  
“Does he look strong?”  
“Is he worthy of putting our faith in?”

These words whispered around him every day of his life. The hero's descendant, without a doubt named Link upon his birth. He was constantly reminded of how he had to be better. How he needed to be the strongest and most skillful fighter in the world. 

Of course, he had put much effort into training with his father everyday, and he was exemplary with a sword given his young age. The young man was merely fourteen years old, and as the prophecy states; on the night of his fifteenth birthday he shall truly awaken as the hero of legend, if the prophetic dream of storm occurs. After centuries there had not been a case of the nightmare. His father, his grandfather and so forth had not experienced the dream, and henceforth evil had not come. He had hope that the same would occur for him.

Link calmly strode around the village, hoping to get in some riding with his horse, Epona. Their family may have exclusively had horses passed down from the legendary steed herself, but each generation was different from the last. While his father's Epona was feisty and had a bit of a wild temper, Link's Epona was as calm as could be and would obey every command given to her.  
Link opened the old, weathered double doors to the stable and scanned through the paddocks for his horse. He saw that his friend Suna's horse, Flint was gone. She must have gone for an afternoon ride once she finished her shift at the smithy.  
A neigh from the end of the aisle alerted his pointy ears and he saw his almost crimson steed beckoning him over excitedly.  
“Hey, girl.”, he soothed.  
He slowly lowered her head so that he could stroke her muzzle.  
“You look bored.”, Link chuckled. “What do you say you and I go for a ride?”  
She had grown accustomed to hearing the “r-word” and she started growing impatient, pacing around the gate of her stall.  
“Okay, okay. Let me fetch your reins.”  
He opened the stall and walked past Epona to her hay trough, above it hung her bridle and harness. He carefully pulled them off and sorted out their tangles. He reminded himself to untangle them after a day out so he wouldn't have to struggle with them and keep Epona waiting longer than she had to.  
“Okay, hold still.”, he said as he slipped the bridle onto her face.  
Just like any horse, she reared back slightly when he fixed the stirrup into her mouth, but she didn't protest. Sometimes when Epona wasn't feeling up to it, she would back away to the other side of the paddock, and Link simply walked away, as it was obvious she didn't feel like going for a ride. When this happened he'd just open her back gate so she could roam outside in the fenced field with the other people's horses.  
“Good girl.”, he massaged her strong neck and he grabbed the saddle off a hook and secured it onto her back.  
As he tightened the last strap, Epona leaned over and nibbled at his bangs.  
Link laughed and pulled her face over to his.  
“Silly girl. Where do you wanna go today? How about the waterfall?”  
Epona snorted happily and Link opened the gate and held her reins. He led her out the stables and hopped onto the saddle, flicking the reins for her to slowly trot down the village road.

As they left the main gates of the village, Link brought Epona into a canter and they headed through the fields into the lush, green, summer forest. Epona enjoyed grazing in the fields, but due to the weather and the summer heat, Link often encouraged they go to the grotto or the serene waterfall rather than the unprotected rays of sun the fields offer.  
Epona halted to eat some fallen apples by a small orchard patch. Link took the moment to look around the trees. He saw a couple of birds dancing through the branches together, and a squirrel burying a nut in the soft soil.  
“Here, I'll save the rest of these for later.”  
Link hopped off Epona's back and began to pick up some more of the apples from the ground.  
He heard Epona make a strange grunt behind him and he turned around to see her ears were perked up and her head was pointed intently down the path.  
“Is everything okay?”, he stroked her shoulders and gave her a little nudge, but she refused to move a muscle.  
“Epona?”  
A faint sound of galloping made its way to Link's ears. It was suspicious, this road was usually quite peaceful. He decided he'd duck down behind some shrubs off the path, just in case.  
“Epona, go home.”, he instructed.  
The horse remained still.  
Link knew there was something wrong, and though he feared for his beloved horse's safety, it was more important that he wasn't spotted by a villain.  
The galloping grew louder and Link peeked through the leaves in front of him.  
With much relief, he identified the charging horse as Flint. That relief quickly faded however, as Epona got riled up from the other horse's behavior and proceeded to charged after Flint back towards the village.  
“Epona! No!”, he called his steed back, but she kept on running until she was out of earshot.  
“Bad girl.”, Link grumbled and turned towards the rest of the path.  
The falls were not far, and Suna would probably be walking on the trail back home since her horse had other plans than to give her a lift.  
Epona would be okay. She may have gotten excited but she still knows her way home. Link then decided he'd find his friend and accompany her back to the village.

Surely enough, he found Suna walking home in her usual work clothes, her back rather dusty. He assumed Flint got spooked by something and knocked her off.  
“Link?”  
“Suna! I saw Flint racing down the trail. Everything okay?”  
Suna rushed over to him and looked at him with great concern.  
“What are you doing out here? What if you got injured. Tomorrow is your fifteenth birthday, you can't risk not being able to protect Hyrule.”, she sputtered.  
Link chuckled awkwardly, “Hehe… don't remind me.”  
“Look, just in case maybe you shouldn't be out and about for a bit. I mean, things are getting a little strange around here. The crows started swooping at Flint and that's why he freaked out.”  
“Strange. Usually the animals are quite docile.”, Link surveyed the forest surrounding them wearily.  
“Where's Epona? If you purposely walked all the way over here, you're crazy.”  
“No, no. Flint just triggered her and she went chasing after him. I was just a little ways down the path when that happened.”  
Suna nodded. “Sorry, I know this prophecy thing is really bothering you, but it is important to play it safe for the time being.”  
Link knew she was right. He figured it was just his way of coping with the pressure to act as if it was just a normal day. Although Suna was right; the forest was acting a little strange. Birds went silent out of nowhere, the crows were extra aggressive, and even the apples he picked up were untouched by any animals.  
“Shall we head back?”, Link looked up at Suna.  
She nodded and they made their way back down the path.

When Link arrived back at the village, Suna bid him farewell and returned to her job.  
Link watched her leave and made his way to the stables, to make sure Epona and Flint were back safely.  
Do these strange things mean anything? They must. Maybe I should ask father about his fifteenth birthday.  
Sure enough, Epona and Flint were grazing in the back fields. A familiar, tall figure watched from the gates.  
“Dad?”  
Link's father turned around and smiled at his son.  
“Ah, there you are. I saw Epona and Flint run back into the village and got worried. Glad to see you're okay.”  
Link simply nodded.  
“Say, my boy. How about some sword training later today? You've been slacking off a little lately.”, his father decreed.  
“But, I'm already so good with a sword. I kinda wanted to practice more archery.”, Link protested.  
“Nonsense. The Hero of Time was not known for archery. He was known for his great swordsman-ship.”  
Link knew his dad was a stubborn person. He also knew that he believed very much about the prophecy of the hero.  
“Dad, what was your fifteenth birthday like?”  
His father looked down at him and hesitated.  
“Why? Did something odd happen?”  
Link lied. “No. Just wondering.”  
“Well… I'm a little fuzzy on details. But, as I remember it it was just a regular day. Nothing happened whatsoever. No dream, no illness, nothing.”  
“Oh, good. Good.”  
His father gave him a skeptical look.  
“Is something wrong, lad?”  
“No. Just a little nervous that's all.”  
Link didn't enjoy lying to his father, but he knew that if his dad found out he'd insist that he was the hero and had to prepare for the hardships to come.  
But Link was still in denial that there was a chance he was the hero.  
His father gave out a hearty laugh. “Don't worry, my boy! I don't blame you!”

Link couldn't sleep. Tomorrow there was a huge celebration. The whole village would be there, along with the King of Hyrule. The last time Link had seen the King was when he was merely five. He had come to grant Link his first sword.  
His home creaked as the cold night air snuck in through the cracks in the roof, and the wood burning stove offered little heat.  
Why did I have to be born into this mess? Why couldn't I have been a completely normal kid like Suna?  
He never regretted living. He only wished that he hadn't been immediately pressured since he could first breathe.  
Link closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  
Whatever tomorrow brings. I can handle it. I can handle it.


	2. Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s the day of the party, and the whole village is ready for the celebration. Link must endure the day if he is to discover his fate, and to see if he truly is the Hero of Time.

The sun rose over the fields of Hyrule, bringing forth the dawn of a new day. The birds sang and the sheep grazed happily along the grassy hills outside Hazelknot Village.  
Link aroze from his covers with a long yawn.  
Today was the day. Everything seemed pretty normal so far. He looked outside and saw that half the townsfolk were already setting up the outdoor party grounds. There was a large banner nailed onto the front gates of the village that read: “Welcome King of Hyrule”.   
Link had almost forgotten that the King would attend the hero's descendant's fifteenth birthday every generation.  
King Reginald Johansson Hyrule. If I disappoint him in any way, he may deem me unworthy of a hero. Although, at least I wouldn't have to be the Hero of Time if I did have the dream. Link thought.  
“Link? Are you up yet?”, he heard his father call from the other room.  
“Yes. I'll be out in a bit.”  
He opened his drawers and pulled out his work clothes. His mother insisted that he wore the Hero's Tunic on his birthday to symbolize his courage as the descendant, but it only made Link more worried about the whole prophecy issue so he chose not to.

“Happy birthday, Link! Can't wait for the celebration!”  
“Happy Birthday, Hero of Time!”  
“It's the descendant's big day!”  
“See you tonight, hero!”  
The words hit Link like arrows. People were already acknowledging him as a perfect savoir. He hadn't even had the dream yet! Hopefully he won't at all so he can just relax and never have to fear of the day he is decreed hero.  
“Link, where are you off to? The King will arrive in a few hours, we need to finish preparations.”, Link's dad walked up behind him.  
“I need to relax, I'm going for a walk.”  
“Hey, no need to fret son. No one has had the dream in over a hundred years. Chances are you won't have it either.”  
But Link was already trudging into the woods, away from his father.

Link eventually flopped down on a moss patch in the forest.   
He let out a loud, drawn out sigh.  
“Why did I have to be born the descendant? Why couldn't I just have a normal fifteenth birthday like any other Hylian?”, he thought aloud.  
It just wasn't fair. He was old enough to know that sometimes life throws problems at you, but he couldn't understand what he did to deserve this pressure.  
“Link?”  
The boy sprung up at the sudden voice and saw Trebie holding a basket of apples.  
“Oh. Good morning, Trebie.”  
She gave him a small smile.  
“Are you feeling okay, Link?”  
Link noticed the worry in her eyes, and realized she must have heard him talking to himself.  
“Yeah, I'm okay. Thanks.”  
He felt bad about not sharing his feelings with the nice girl, but he didn't want her to fret about him.  
“Okay. If you need anything, just let me know.”  
She gave him a shy wave and walked through the bushes, her long dress catching on the occasional branch.  
“Thanks.”, he muttered.  
Great, now someone knew he wasn't feeling well. Knowing Trebie, she would probably express her concern to other villagers. While she meant well, Link didn't want the whole of Hazelknot Village asking if he was okay.

In the middle of his thoughts, the bell atop the mayor's house rang. The King had arrived.  
Link jumped to his feet and rushed back through the trees, until he reached the edges of the town.  
“Shoot.”

A regal carriage decorated with welded metal patterns and shiny jewels passed through the front gates. An intimidating, large man sat atop it, wearing a long, wavy crimson robe. The carriage door dropped, and as he walked off it, his cape flowed behind him.  
“Here enters the royalist of all of Hyrule; King Reginald Johansson Hyrule. Hazelknot Village is honored and thankful to be in your presence, sire.”, a soldier wearing most formal attire announced.  
The King towered over everyone. He gave them all a skeptical look, but soon his light gray beard formed into a smile, and he motioned for the townsfolk to rise.  
“I am happy to attends the Hero of Time's reincarnation fifteenth birthday. Will Link please define himself from the crowd?”

Oh gods. I'm missing it! He'll wonder where I am and I'll be nowhere to be found! Dad's going to be so disappointed!  
Link panicked as he raced through the town.  
“I'm here! I'm here!”, he called.  
“Ah, there's the young man.”, the King acknowledged his arrival.  
“Apologies, sire.”, Link got down to his knee and bowed politely.  
Reginald simply put a hand on Link's shoulder and brought him back up to his feet. It wasn't strange that the King wasn't showing much dominance over him. From what he had heard from the previous Links in the chain, on their fifteenth birthday they were treated as if they were indefinitely the Hero of Time himself.  
“My boy, there is no need. You are our hero! A hero is respected by all!”  
Link hated that. He wanted to run off in the forest again, but this time stay there until the King left the next morning. It wasn't right to him, calling a fifteen year old Hyrule's hero and only hope. It couldn't have been viewed as right by everyone. Could it?  
“Now, without any further ado…”, the King started, “Let the celebration begin!”

Beer filled drinking mugs to the rim, the bubbles fizzing at the top. Grown adults were hammered as ever as the party drew further on into the night, men laughing by the barrel supply and women loosely dancing in the square. Instead of the cheery bright blue sky that lingered in the afternoon, the banners and rugs layed glowed a warm orange as the traditional lanterns’ light reflected onto their fabric.  
Joyous highland music filled the village, people pairing up and dancing round. The women's growns and capes swirled in unison, creating a dashing display of red and gold.  
“Link, get up and dance!”, one of Link's neighbours approached him and held out her hand.  
She was about his age, maybe a year or two older, but he had never really made any effort to interact with her.  
“No, thanks. I'm okay.”  
What was her name again?  
“Come on, Link! It's your birthday! Try to have a little fun.”, she grabbed a hold of his wrist and hoisted him out of his seat.  
As the next song began to play, she scooped his hand to her waist and grabbed his other in a hurry.  
Link could tell she was enjoying dancing with him only because he was the “hero”. It was clear with the frantic, but also excited grin on her face.  
“Link, twirl me!”  
He did as he was told. It wasn't exactly fun to obey demands from the various ladies he danced with, but he wanted to please the crowd.  
Wherever he danced, their eyes followed.  
“Did he just misstep?”  
“He's not as good as I thought…”  
“Maybe he needs more practice.”  
The words and judgements of others refused to avoid his ears, and the expectations kept building.

“That. Is. It!”  
Link shook his head back to reality upon hearing the harsh tone.  
“You aren't even doing the right moves! You're throwing off the rest of us!”  
He didn't even recall switching partners this many times, but it was definitely someone else in front of him.  
“Mily. I'm sorry, I got distracted.”  
“You should be! Those girls over there are laughing at us!”  
“Look, I'll go clear it up with them. I'll tell them it was all my fault we're off que.”, Link replied.  
By now the whole village was watching them silently, excluding the extra drunk townsfolk who simply kept swaying to the empty air.  
“You stepped on me nearly six times! You're supposed to be the best! You're the hero after all!”  
This caused Link to dawn a darker tone. He was fine with people complaining, but bringing up the hero excuse really got on his nerves.  
“Listen Mily. My job is to prepare for a real fight. Not to keep whiney girls like you satisfied with your status.”  
The crowd whispered among themselves. It was very rare anyone would hear Link talk in such a way to anyone, no matter how difficult they may be. He was always known for his gentle voice.  
After a long while Mily huffed.  
“Some hero you are.”  
Link didn't expect that answer.   
He didn't feel like arguing, so he turned and left the crowd. As he scanned the people around him, a familiar face emerged from a tent and gave him an apologetic look.  
His eyes fell down to the ground, and he shuffled to the quieter section of the party.

The toxic smell of overused alcohol burned Link's nostrils, but to make a better impression at his own celebration, he stayed put. Even though people had offered him a pint or two, he always refused to accept it. He felt sick just thinking about getting a little tipsy. He was too nervous about tonight, there was no point in trying to solve his problems with alcohol.  
“Link?”  
The dirty blonde turned around to see Suna looking at him skeptically.  
“Are you feeling alright?”  
Link nodded and gave her a small smile.  
“I'll be okay. I just need to calm myself.”, he patted the spot next to him on the bench, beckoning her to take a seat.  
She slipped onto the bench and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. She had her hair up in a bun and instead of her usual work clothes she wore her more the traditional celebration attire.

The people in Hazelknot Village wore deep crimson vests and cuffed shirts embroidered with gold thread on special occasions. Link had his long cap as a sign of the hero embroidery done by a professional in Hyrule Castle Town, but his father had been the one to choose the design; a triforce.

As said before, he refused to wear it tonight.  
“What happens…”, Suna started. “If you are not The Hero of Time?”  
“Nothing, I think. From what my parents told me I just grow up like any other person.”  
Suna smiled.  
“I hope that's what happens. Nothing. I know it gains you fame and glory when you're a hero, but it also puts you in great danger.”  
Link watched her smile fade.  
“I just don't want you to go through that.”  
He realized that he needed to reassure others over himself, so he put a hand on Suna's back.  
“Hey, don't worry. I'm not the hero. I'm just another Link. I'll still be here in the morning, and when I am we can go harvest some pumpkins and take our horses for rides. We'll do all the things we love to. You'll see, Suna.”  
Her eyes still dark, she gave him a fraud of a smile. He knew she wasn't okay with this prophecy, but she did believe it. He wished he could just skip the rest of tonight and wake up in the morning as a normal fifteen year old Hylian.

Though, the more he thought about it, the more he realized. He wouldn't have to wait long to find out if that will happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking around! I know my updates are slow, but these stories take a while to write and edit, haha. I hope you’re enjoying this book, and I’ll see y’all in the next chapter!

**Author's Note:**

> Most focus is going to be on the main plot and the adventure. Most relationships are more platonic than romantic, but there are still strong feelings involved.
> 
> Hope to see you at the next chapter!


End file.
